Dark Mystery
by Ariona Malief
Summary: Can Ariona continue to run or is she fighting something hidden within herself?
1. Chapter 1

The sun was just going down, coloring the night sky in shades of orange and red. The small cottage blending in to the trees, flowers, and plants, always seemed to be a place of peace. But tonight, it had come alive with bangs, shouts, and the sound of glass being broken as three men broke down the front door. They searched the house, knocking tables and chairs over, yelling for the old woman not to hide and to not let the child get away.

Marmer was tall, with long jet black hair with hints of silver in it, looking to be around 50; she normally had a warm smile on her face. But this evening she had such sadness in her green eyes, quietly opening the back door, placing a worn rucksack in Ariona's hand and shoving her outside, "go hide, do not listen to them."

Ariona was just barely 14 yrs old, standing no more than 5'2", with brown hair and with red highlights in it that hung past her waist. She tried to protest, "No, please come with me" tears fell down her cheeks. Trembling with so much fear she ran to the small tawny barn that was nestled in the trees and hid beside it in the shadows that were deepening. The animals that were so abundant were silent with her, not making a sound just waiting.

She saw the biggest of the three men catch Marmer by her hair and pulling her backwards to the floor of the kitchen. _"Run child…run. Don't look back! Never forget what you've learned."_ was all her beloved Marmer kept repeating. The compulsion in her dieing command was the only thing that kept Ariona running. The explosion of the animals, insects, and the earth itself shook her. The wind had started blowing almost as if aiding in Ariona's desperate escape. While whipping her hair all around her face and her sides burning from the exertion she ran on, the yells and shouts were fading in the distance. The images of the men brutally driving a stake through Marmer's heart, and the others calling out that they would kill her too when they caught her, drove her on.

In her head long escape, Ariona had blindly left the only real home and family she could remember. Tears streaming down her face, almost passing out from exhaustion, she stumbled and fell. She got up and walked trying to remember how to hide her trail, her very presence.

Marmer had taken her out and showed her numerous times how to track and how to hide so no one could find her, how to be part of the forest itself. At the time, she thought that she would never really need to do that but now she was thankful she could remember it at all. She placed her hands on the ground feeling for any disturbance, nothing. When she moved her hands patches of little wild flowers were there.

Ariona wondered from small village to town doing whatever odd jobs she could find to get her by never staying to long. She never really allowed herself to get to know anyone. She had a hard enough time being around others, their emotions swamping her and giving her terrible headaches. Taking on jobs involving animals because she felt connected them and could get them to do basically anything she needed. She could also feel when things were not quite right, whether around people, animals, or the earth; she always figured that's what had helped her, the last two years.


	2. Chapter 2

In the small town of San Velho in Brazil, she watched as two men, brothers who were buying some very spirited Lusitano horses from the man she was working for. They wondered the corrals pointing, talking, and laughing even, as it had been a while since they had been there.

It was strange to Ariona, as every time she tried to touch the brothers' minds, it felt like others were doing the same thing.

"Don Moreno we'll take the dark grey stallion and the six mares over there," stated Miguel Chavez, pointing to the corral at the end.

Don Juan Moreno looked very pleased, "They will make a good addition to your bloodline."

"Ariona, get the dark grey stallion and those six mares ready to go!" he shouted to her. She nodded and reached for the red lead she liked to use.

Don Juan Moreno let Ariona stay in the big white barn that had a small office she had claimed as her own, because when she was with the horses they seemed calmer. The breeding season was coming to an end and the last three weeks had been the best he had ever had. He had tried to get her to stay in the spare cottage but she wouldn't do it. "No, no, Don Moreno let someone else stay there it is more than I need," she always told him when the weather was bad. She had worked there almost three weeks and at times seemed to be as wild as the animals she cared for.

The Chavez brothers watched as Ariona spoke to the horses, whispered to them really. They both felt a wave of peace wash over them. Her tone was very gentle almost a soothing lullaby that the horses couldn't resist. The mares were very easy to get into the big trailor, she whispered something to each one and walked them in without using the lead that was in her hand and she worked with very sure movements. The stallion was the last one to go in.

Ariona had just moved up to put the lead on the big stallion, when there was a shot that ripped through the warm early evening air. Laughter that seemed crueler than anything was heard. Against the fence lounged three young men watching the chaos they had created. The stallion threw his head up catching Ariona on the left shoulder, knocking her backward to the ground; she rolled to avoid stamping hooves. She jumped to her feet like a cat and glared at the young men as they yelled insults at her for not being more careful.

"That's what you get if you're trying to do a man's job," came one comment. The other, "You should be more careful little girl," all of them laughing like fools. Don Moreno yelled at them to get going or he would tell the authorities that they were at it again.

Yeah, yeah, was the only response he got. "Just remember accidents do happen" came from the tallest of the three, Heriberto Nunez.

"Do I have to call Don Nunez," Don Moreno stated calmly watching Heriberto carefully. The three of them scowled and left, mumbling something.

"Will there be trouble?" asked Miguel Chavez.

"No, Heriberto applied for the job I gave to Ariona the day before and is still upset. I needed someone who had a calming effect, not one who agitated them," explained Juan.

"She doesn't look old enough to be doing a man's job," Miguel stated.

"Don't let her hear you say that," Juan muttered to them.

The Chavez brothers, watched as Ariona once more calmed the stallion and walked him casually into the truck. "She does very well with the horses," stated Rogelio Chavez.

Don Moreno nodded, "She does well with all animals including the wild ones. She earned the wraith of a couple of men a short time ago who were trying to take some big cats out of the country." He gave a chuckle, "As they leisurely ate at the cantina, she snuck over and let the cats out of their cages on the truck. They didn't notice until Heriberto, yelled over at them. The only thing that saved her from the men was the authorities who didn't exactly take kindly to the selling of the cats."

Ariona was brushing the dust of her pants when she felt a change in the air, a trace of power. She stood up very cautiously and looked around scanning her surroundings. The barrier and shields she always had up told her whoever it was, was far enough away but curious. She knew it was time to move on. She could not be found.

"Finish up and get them bedded down for the night. Then come up to the house, clean up and you can eat with us," Don Moreno was pointing at the Chavez brothers and himself. Miguel and Rogelio both felt Zacarius, a little shocked, "I am on my way to you," as he usually left the buying and selling to them.

She really liked Don Moreno, he always kept an eye out to make sure she didn't get into to much trouble and paid well. Ariona waved back with sadness in her eyes and she knew that she would move on that night. She went back to the horses, got them into the stables, fed, fresh water, and calmed them down for the night. Saying her goodbyes to all of them was hard but she knew she had no choice. The noise from the horses brought tears to her eyes, as they were her family. "Hush now sometimes this happens, please be good for Don Moreno," she asked each one of them as she kissed them on the nose.

She grabbed her rucksack and put her things in it, knowing she would get it on her way out. She went up to big house that sprawled lazily across the gentle rise over looking everything, taking caution to scan as she went and got cleaned up. She made her way to the kitchen and watched all the activity there until Rosa, Juan's wife came in. "You should go on into the living room child, Juan is waiting for you."

Ariona smiled at Rosa and nodded feeling sad that she would not see her again either. When she arrived in the massive living room, they all stood up and shook her hand. She greeted them in her casual way. Don Moreno motioned for her to sit and relax. She just moved closer to the fire and kept an eye on the door. The unease was building in her. The fire in the fireplace seemed to grow the closer she got, yet Juan did not notice.

"Don Moreno" she said quietly. "The day has been long and I need to check on things before turning in for the night. If you want, I'll check things before turning in." She secretly hoped that he would just let her go like always.

"Oh go ahead. Don't forget to grab something from the kitchen. You really should eat something child, you're far too small," Juan's face lit up as always.

"Nice to meet you both," was her only response. She went back to the kitchen and as always an envelope was pinned to the message board. After slipping it into her back pocket she looked around one last time, taking in all the smells and activity that she will soon be missing.

"Back already child," Rosa smiled at her. "Here take this with you. It's not much and don't you give me any guff."

Ariona accepted the bundle from Rosa and had to bite her tongue from saying anything but "thank you."

Ariona stopped in the barn long enough to grab her bag and leave a note thanking Don Moreno and Rosa for everything. She slipped out into the night taking a deep breath and shied needing to be gone as quickly as possible.

Zacarius tall and just plain overpowering arrived just about the time Don Moreno and the Chavez brothers were stepping out of the house. "Don Moreno, this is Zacarius Del a Cruz, we work on his spread. We were not sure if he was going to get here before we headed for home."

"You have excellent help, Mr. Del a Cruz. They really know horses," Don Moreno stated with obvious envy.

"Thank you Don Moreno, they are like family to me and my brothers. We will do business again in the future, I have no doubt," Zacarius said as he shook Don Moreno's hand. "We will be on our way then."

They casually walked back to the truck and trailer, as Don Moreno retired for the night. "What is wrong?" stated Miguel.

"Someone was here recently," Zacarius stated scanning the area as he spoke. He felt something, as he touched the horses and searched outwards trying to detect even the slightest surge of energy, nothing. He could feel the traces, light and delicate but could not get a direction to follow.

"The young girl who works with the horses seems to be able to talk to them as you do," stated Rogelio.

Zacarius looked back towards the house, "Is she in the house?"

"No, she was headed to the stables a couple of hours ago," sounding a little confused Rogelio asked "We are heading back tonight, is there any danger?"

"No," but Zacarius oldest of the five Del a Cruz brothers wasn't sure. "I will meet you there in a couple of days."

He searched, every once in a while detecting something at times and then it would be gone. Soon he came upon the same traces at the small airport. Zacarius scanned the minds of the humans and kept getting the image of a very young woman or teenager, thin, long hair braided hanging past her hips, in jeans and shirt, with a rucksack over her right shoulder. She is on the plane that has a couple of horses on board headed to the United States.

Zacarius knew that she would be important to his people and he needed to inform his prince.


End file.
